THE Irish education system is made up of highly autonomous schools operating under strong central government influence, but with virtually no decentralised management in between, a new OECD report shows.
Irish second level schools enjoyed a greater freedom to make their own decisions than schools in 13 other OECD countries in the study. At primary level, Ireland ranked second, after New Zealand.
At the same time, fewer decisions were taken at the intermediate level of education management in Ireland than in any other country.
The study found that at second level 73 per cent of decisions were made at school level, 8 per cent at intermediate level, and 19 per cent by central government. However, decisions in Ireland were more likely to be made in consultation with other levels than in other countries.
At primary level, the decision making was shared equally by the schools and central government, with no intermediate involvement.
The lack of regional education structures has long been recognised by the Department of Education. The Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, plans to introduce legislation establishing 10 new regional education boards later this year.
However, the study says the findings show that schools can have extensive powers even in systems where the national level retains substantial influence. If change is contemplated, the question is not just whether centralisation or decentralisation is needed. Rather, the division of powers between schools and a lower intermediate level, and the State and an upper intermediate level, has to be addressed.
In Ireland and New Zealand the school's importance in decision making is similar to that for private education, the report notes.
"In Ireland's case, this is partly due to the fact that public sector schools belong to religious establishments, which enjoy a broad measure of autonomy as regards resources and management of non teaching staff", it says.
The report, Decision Making in 14 OECD Education Systems, says the structures of Irish education predate current concerns about improving the effectiveness of, schools.
